Calibre DRM Removal Plugins – Download and How to Use

Every hardcore eBooks fans must know the software Calibre. Basically, it’s a library manager and file converter, with hundreds of plugins it becomes even more powerful and omnipotent.

Among all the plugins, the Alf’s DRM Removal plugins are very important and useful, as it’s the only free and easy way to remove DRM. Besides the DRM Removal plugins, you have to run the scripts (which requires coding skills) or pay for some shareware.

By removing DRM, you truly own the eBook you bought. Or the books are sort of “rented” from those online retailers as they can easily wipe them from their cloud servers and then you are no longer own the book. Yes, you are still having the file on your computer, but if there is no such a book on the server, you won’t be able to pass the DRM validation and fail to open this book for reading.

Therefore, I’m not advocating for piracy here when I say we need to remove DRM. It’s just for safe back up. You also do not remove DRM from eBooks for piracy purpose.

OK let’s go. I am going to compile a step-by-step guide in this post, everyone can easily use Calibre DeDRM plugin by reading the following parts.

Download Calibre DeDRM Plugin

Install the DRM Removal Plugin on Calibre

Look at the top navigation bar in Calibre, find “Preferences”, click it, then choose “Plugins”.

Click “Load plugin from file”, then choose the zip file you downloaded from the dropbox link above.

The program will notify you there is a security risk. Never mind, it’s totally safe to install this plugin. All the plugins out of official list will activate the risk notification dialog. Just click “Yes”.

If everything goes well, you will see the plugin displayed in the installed plugins list.

You won’t see the plugin shows up in the main interface, but when you load in DRM protected eBooks, the plugin starts working automatically.

Having trouble in using this plugin? You can read the FAQ post on the plugin author’s blog

Tips for Using Calibre DeDRM Plugin to Remove DRM

Remove Adobe Adept DRM

You need to sync the contents to the computer via Adobe Digital Editions, then load the books into Calibre from Adobe Digital Editions’ content folder.

Remove Kindle DRM

If you have an E-Ink Kindle: Directly load the books from E-Ink Kindle, it will ask you for Kindle Serial Number, input the digits to remove DRM.

Install Kindle for PC/Mac: Login your Amazon account and sync the books to computer, then load the books into Calibre, no need to input any digits.

Update on Mar. 5th, 2017:

If you’ve updated Kindle for PC/Mac to version 1.19 and later, you may get books downloaded with .kfx format. At the moment, no tool can remove DRM from .kfx books or convert them.

Update on Oct. 27th, 2017:

The software Epubor Ultimate is now able to help you remove DRM from KFX books directly and losslessly.